Storm Rising revised
by TitanDragonfire
Summary: The search for the Avatar continues, but Zuko has found an unlikely ally, or an old friend? Enemies are as dangerous as ever, some on the same side! ZukoxOC Read and review please! The revised version where I make a few changes n whatnot.
1. Aquatic Rescue

A/N: At last since its premere so long ago, Storm Rising is being re-written! Okay, this version will have some changes and such, don't get all mad those of you who avidly read the original. Since the original was posted when the show first began, this version should make more sense. It will clear all of those spelling/grammatic errors and flow better plot wise. I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

The Fire Nation ship sailed through the quiet waters at the edge of Earth Kingdom's territory casting a bleak shadow over the water. The artic regions were close by, so both the air and water were frigid, unfavorable to be in for long. Many of the crew had a cold of some kind, but were kept to their daily tasks by the prince himself. They were nearing the last of the villages of the Earth Kingdom, still far behind the Avatar.

Uncle Iroh sipped his tea and calmly watched the icy surroundings go by. He was silent after trying to quell his nephew's hot temper. Prince Zuko was still fuming about the last encounter the crew had with the Avatar, coming so close to his capture. But, as always, Aang, the young airbending monk, managed to slip from his grasp once more. Zuko sat on deck, carefully studying a map of the region. He got up suddenly and began having a fit about how far behind they were, knocking several crew members over in the process. His eyes burned with frustration, fatigue, and untamed rage.

"Calm yourself, Zuko, things will work out soon. For now, I prefer to relax and enjoy the scenery." Uncle Iroh took another sip of his tea.

Zuko grunted in anger, trying his best to keep from uttering hateful words he'd regret mentioning. Instead he sat back down heavily, crossed his arms, and stared at the passing rocks.

"Zuko," his uncle called in a flat tone, trying to get his attention.

"WHAT uncle?" Zuko's temper was delicately calming down, threatening to heat up once more.

Uncle Iroh nodded to a small town on shore close by, situated on the edge of a low-lying cliff overlooking the open sea. Rocks and debris were flying around in the air as a couple of earthbenders fought with an apparent outsider.

Zuko looked up with a deep frown, bored by the whole thing until something, or someone, caught his attention. He stood up with out realizing while his uncle's eyes widened and mouth dropped as if uttering a silent gasp. Prince Zuko's own eyes grew wide as a large boulder collided with a target.

A girl as young as Zuko was slammed off balance by the boulder. She was too close to the edge at the time and began to free fall towards the freezing ice water. She swung her arms in front of her causing a large burst of fire to erupt from her hands at the water, making only steam rise thickly. Her last effort proved useless as she splashed into the sea and the earthbenders looked on somewhat relieved.

Zuko moved to the edge of the ship without thinking. "Zuko!" his uncle cried, "What are you doing?"

His gaze was focused on the misty spot where the girl impacted the water. He shook his head and dove into the water, almost without thinking. But his thoughts were quickly cleared when the cold water splashed all around him. What was he doing down here?

The girl from the village sank quickly to the bottom, she laid down there motionlessly as Zuko swam towards her. Her red clothing gave away the possibility she was from his own nation and was easy to spot against the dull sandy seafloor. He scooped her up and began to ascend to the surface as he began to run out of air.

Uncle Iroh's heart was pounding against his ribcage as he feared for his only nephew. He saw his nephew's head emerge from the water and sighed with some relief. He quickly shouted out orders to the staring crewmembers to help pull Zuko out of the water.

Zuko felt himself shiver violently. Leaping into water like this was an act of stupidity, and was it really worth his discomfort? The girl's chest rose and fell softly, giving a sign of her existence. Her cheeks, like his, were paled from the swim, and her eyes remained closed. Her hair was darkened from being so wet, but he noticed it was an unfamiliar golden color, it made him doubt her origin. He noticed a couple crewmembers throw a rope overboard. Zuko swam one-handed towards it with difficulty. He twined the rope around his wrist tightly and held on as the men above pulled him slowly back on board holding the teenager against him protectively.

"Zuko! What were you thinking?" His uncle's hand smacked the side of his head. "You could have drowned! You could have-" His uncle was cut off by his nephew's glare and sighed in discontent.

"Uncle, I am fine." Zuko's tone was agitated and wavering as he shivered.

"Come on Zuko," his uncle helped him up as a crewmember walked up to take the girl, "You will catch a chill if you stay up here. Go to your room and warm up." His uncle stated firmly to Zuko, silently saying he was serious. Zuko reluctantly handed her to the man and turned to disappear to his room, casting a puzzling look once more to the girl from the water. Why did he do that anyway?


	2. Kaida the Stormbender

A/N: Wow, two updates in one day! Woot new record! Anyways, it's off to another shaky start, but I assure you (at least I hope as well) it will get better!

* * *

Prince Zuko sat in his room aboard his ship meditating calmly. The flames of the candles in front of him danced in the dim light, giving off a pale orange glow across his skin and the table before him. His body still shivered despite the stifling warmth in the room. The water he swam through a few hours before still stung his skin. He frowned as he thought of the Avatar again. If only he had not made such a stupid mistake, he wouldn't have to be out endlessly searching for the Avatar and failing each time pushing him farther into exile, and losing himself in the process. But, Fire Lord Ozai was far too proud to accept his son back without the Avatar, and even if Zuko caught that unruly monk, the Fire Lord might still reject him. The thought sickened him. He gritted his teeth in frustration as someone entered his room.

"Prince Zuko! Glad to see you're well." Uncle Iroh was half expecting his nephew to be coughing and sneezing up a storm which would have heightened that wild temper of his. "What a witty friend I have made! She even likes ginseng tea!" Uncle Iroh grinned to his nephew's back. He shrugged to someone standing meekly behind him, unable to get Zuko's attention. Iroh cleared his throat, "Zuko, you are being quite rude. Would you mind joining us on deck?" The word us made Zuko turn in question.

The girl from the Earth Kingdom village stood quietly behind his uncle. Her blonde hair was so strange, almost unreal to him. Even the sandy color he had seen in some Earthbending peasants didn't come close to matching. But the most haunting of all were her eyes. Though they were cast to the ground, he could see them at first reflect an exotic violet, then shifted to blue when she looked up.

Uncle Iroh smiled a little and pushed her forward, "Zuko, this is Kaida." She shyly smiled a bit to him, looking as though she were a bit afraid of him. She had a calming look about her, like his uncle, a temperament only some people could achieve without the slightest bit of effort. Zuko merely stood up, still frowning. His uncle broke the silence, "That was brave what you did a little while ago. I'm proud of you Zuko." Those words almost stung to Zuko, they made him feel…weak, one of the reasons his father banished him for. What made the comment so harsh was the audience in his room upon hearing such a mild act. "She has also told, and shown, me something you may find interesting." His uncle's smug look confused Zuko.

"What is it?" He snapped a little rudely, unintentionally.

"Would you believe me if I told you this young lady bends more than one element?" His uncle smiled to the teen girl then to his surprised nephew.

"How? She's no Avatar!" Zuko was lost for words, this was clearly a trick his uncle was pulling on him, mocking his quest for the real avatar.

"No, I'm not," she added in timidly, "I'm a Stormbender, as my father used to say at least. The only element I cannot bend is earth, but I can fake it." She smiled, and somehow made his heart skip a beat. That smile was soothing and oddly familiar to him. "Do not ask me how it happened though, that question has been around my family for years."

Iroh smiled to her, "Why don't you head on back to the deck to finish that pai sho game we started, I want to have a word with my nephew."

"Of course, sir," she nodded and walked out of the room calmly.

Iroh turned to Zuko, "She would be invaluable to have here." Zuko nodded in agreement to his uncle's words. It was true having a bender like that would give him a fair advantage to his next encounter with the tattooed monk and his water peasant friends. He consented to his uncle's idea of letting her stay, almost regrettably however, he didn't want to seem soft on a female of all people. Girls were inferior to men, one exception being Azula, but she was a rarity in Fire Nation society and her bad mouthing was a key to her power over most.

The young man glanced up to his relative then sat back down to meditate once more.

"She has no where else to go, or so she claims. It is alright with you if she stays?" Iroh raised an eyebrow to his nephew's half-thought answer.

"I don't care," was the only reply he got. The prince was busy calculating to himself how such bending was possible, and if she were really telling the truth. Once more he found he was asking himself why did he even care?


	3. Mystery

A/N: I apologize for the short chapter, I promise a longer one soon!

* * *

"So why does your father call you a stormbender exactly?" Iroh asked serenely as he moved his ever-famous lotus tile into a new square.

"Huh? Oh, well, he used to compare the elements to storms. Like lightning from firebending, rain from waterbending, and of course the wind. I'm not sure why he started saying it actually. But, he never taught me, only my brother." She looked down avoiding his eyes.

Iroh silently watched her move a piece to another space on the board, her hand had a sense of fluidity and grace he had not seen in some time. At the thought, he began to draw connections to the way she followed him down the hall, how she walked, spoke, and moved. They were all that Fire Nation women were brought up to do. He didn't doubt she was from his nation and home, but he found it difficult to place her in a society of dark-haired people bent on perfection.

He placed his cup back on the table and looked up to her again, "May I ask why you insisted to stay aboard this ship? I'm not turning you away, I'm merely curious."

She looked up this time, for a moment, showing off a pair of glistening blue-green eyes, before looking to the side, "I…do not have a place to stay out here. I am sorry for asking if it has troubled you."

"Not at all!" he insisted, then turning to a quieter, gentler tone of voice, "Why is it that you are out here by yourself at your age?" Iroh's expression was mixed between curiosity and concern.

"It is…complicated. I'm not so sure you would care to hear." Kaida replied uneasily, fidgeting slightly as she felt the ex-general's gaze fall upon her once more.

"I have plenty of time," he smiled and picked up his cup of tea once more.

She paused for a moment, as if debating to tell the truth or keep it secret still. "I live in a Fire Nation colony with my aunt here in Earth Kingdom. I've only been here for a little while. When a nearby town began to riot with our own, things got out of hand…"

He stared intently over the edge of the cup, "That's how you came to be here?"

Kaida nodded, "I thank you for allowing me to stay, even if my request was made in haste."

He merely grinned, "It will be nice having a new face on this lonely ship of my nephew's."

* * *

"I don't want that woman getting in my way!" Zuko yelled to his uncle hotly.

"I assure you, she won't. She may be like your sister, completely out of the way." Iroh tried to persuade him as calmly as he could, in contrast to the boy's fiery temper.

"If she's anything like Azula, then I don't want her here at all!" The young man growled and turned back to the map he had been studying.

"Well don't take my word about her, why don't you get to know her yourself?" Iroh strolled out of the Prince's room giving a second glance back at the teenager.

* * *

'I can't believe my luck!' Kaida mentally hit herself, 'What kind of fate do I have if this is the place I am supposed to be?' She gazed out at the water, recalling a dim memory she kept in the back of her mind. 'I must hope he does not remember.' 


End file.
